A defence expert says the U.S. decision to deploy six B-52 nuclear-capable bombers in northern Australia is a practical sign of the superpower’s deterrence strategy towards Beijing.
Michael Shoebridge, the director of Strategic Analysis Australia, told The Epoch Times that the move was part of the 2022 Nuclear Posture Review (pdf).
The comments come in response to Beijing warning the U.S. against the deployment, with Zhao Lijian, spokesperson for the Chinese Foreign Ministry saying such a move “escalates regional tensions, gravely undermines regional peace and stability, and may trigger an arms race in the region.”
However, Shoebridge said Beijing’s reaction demonstrated the CCP was aware that deterrence measures would complicate their plans….